© 2024 Debra Anastasia. All rights reserved. This material is the intellectual property of the author and cannot be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without express written permission. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author. (Best read on a desktop)
EPILOGUE
Chin Hairs
Glacius
They were in love. In love love. My snow around them was melting in the shape of a heart. When I was struggling to breathe, it was because my carefully curated cure was slipping. I knew love a long, long time ago. Michele was and would be my soul. And currently my soul was inside out and dipped in nitrogen. Strong, freezing cold and unmovable. But of course, it was also the most fragile thing in the world.
I had to add cold to it as constantly as I could. When I first lost her, I was able to keep my soul inside out without moving. Without doing. But I’m old. It had been years. So many years and I realized that the way I had myself was tricky. I was warming up as I lay there in my own snow, deep in the north pole..
Michele had been my weresecretary. She was also the love of my life. I lost her to a human thing. And I wished I could die. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. I had to move from the spot I had lain for years and years to try and maintain my freezing temperature. Being a Santa hurt. Seeing love hurt. Trying to bring joy hurt.
So I had to find something even colder than cold. And that was money. Money and power made my soul hard as a rock. It kept all the love and pain I had for Michele still. Cold.
But now, facing these two ridiculously powerful, newly-minted Christmas people defeated me. They were as powerful as the first Santa at least. And they were a direct result of the havoc I had smeared on this world.
Mrs. Fargone approached me. Annie. Possibly one of the very few that could imagine pain like I had. She’d dealt with her own by getting in my circle of cold. I suspected she liked her soul inside out as well, so she didn’t have to feel anything at all either.
“There’s no stopping them. Certainly not now.” She nodded towards Lila and Kris.
I didn’t answer, but I knew she was right.
Annie put a hand on my shoulder and sat down next to me on the ground. Sonnet and Lila were embracing, while Kris kept a watchful eye on the surroundings. On me. He would be a fantastic Santa. I could almost see his aura and it was shaped like a Christmas tree.
“Remember, back in the day when you told me that women were amazing at harboring the Chritsmas spirit? That we were great multitaskers?”
I didn’t answer her, but I blinked once and tilted my head in her direction.
She continued, “I thought you were joking when you said that all women had a little Santa in them, and as they got older, they’d have really resilient, magical chin hair that would pop up seemingly overnight to remind them of this fact.”
I felt my lips start to curve up. It was a reality. That’s why women developed chin hairs as they got older. It was hilarious and true.
“Well, lately I feel like I could grow a pair because my chin hair is getting out of control.”
At this bawdy statement, I finally looked in her eyes.
“There you are. Being around these kids is bringing out my wild side.” She put her hand on my forearm. “It’s time, Glacius. We can’t run anymore. These ones?” She indicated Sonnet, Kris and Lila with her chin. “They’re what the world needs right now. Full of love and kindness. We have to help them get everything back. To honor my Santa and your Michele.”
Oh yes, that was right. Annie knew about my love. I told her in a drunken rant a long, long time ago when she tried to get me to walk the straight and narrow as a good Santa.
“They need too much to fix what I’ve done.” My voice was scratchy.
“Good thing they’ll have us to help. What else are we going to do? You’re immortal. Maybe let’s not waste it.” She squeezed my arm.
Lila and Kris kissed again. The snow inside me sizzled.
“When you’re right, you’re right.” I covered her hand with mine.
“If only we had someone with experience dealing with businesses and corporations to help create something big enough to change the world.”
I stood up and held out a hand to Annie to assist her off the ground. “Hey, not to be that guy, but your chin hair is bananas right now.”
Annie reached up and stroked the two new gray hairs that had appeared while we talked. “Someday, I might just leave them instead of plucking them. Let’s use the book, and send your ice back to the polar bears for a few centuries.”
It would be a good way to honor Michele. Feel the love she and I had and act on it, make it grow instead of trying to avoid feeling the pain of it. We had a big job to do.
~*~*~*
A/N Merry Christmas and Happy New year. Thank you so much for joining me on Santa’s Suit Situation! Watch this newsletter for instructions on how to get your copy of this story compiled. A huge thank you to Carol Sonnet, Michele Macleod, Heather Brown and Amanda Kay Anderson and al of my Beta Beauties for working with me on short notice. All typos and plot holes are mine.
This one is dedicated to my family! I’m with almost all of them today and I am cherishing every second.
